Work Text:
“Alright, is the game plan clear?”
Prompto crosses his arms, and looks side to side; both Gladiolus and Ignis stand at full rapt attention.
“Sir, yes, sir!” they yell, almost so enthusiastically like the blond was a drill sergeant rather than a boy who was almost turning sixteen.
“So what are you in charge of, ever so faithful Shield?”
“The decorations, as well as the music,” Gladiolus rattles off, arms crossed behind his back as if his job was a royal announcer, and Prompto only had a hint of what that was like from the radio. “Anything fish related, I get. I need to find out his most favorite songs and put them on the speaker!”
“Dude, I’m feeling that fire!” The blond whirls to Ignis. “Now you! What’s your job?”
“To cook the prince’s favorite dishes and bake his favorite flavor of cake! Seafood, fish themed frosting. Provide snacks as well!”
“Yeah, that’s right!” The blond whoops, thrusts his fist into the air. “And I play the noble role of distractor. ”
Both the Shield and retainer nod furiously, their arms crossing on the tiny café table, and Prompto is really struggling on not laughing.
“Alright-o! Move out!”
————————————————————————
Three days until Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum’s birthday.
Prompto marks the day down on his calendar, bobs his head up and down surely, before he changes into his running wear, a simple T-Shirt and gym shorts.
“Chocobo greens, chocobo greens, that’s what happiness to a chocobo means!”
It’s crazy to think about, that his best friend had never even had a fun birthday celebration. Sure, there were parades and famous celebrities singing in Noctis’s honor, but he never had a party, right at home, with anyone.
When Prompto heard about that, he had to amend it, ASAP. This was the first time he ever did something like this too, and he won’t even dare to screw it up.
So he enlisted Gladiolus, Ignis as well, and it was almost painfully adorable at how much they didn’t know, and the blond still smiles at the way they were both literally exchanging notes as he explained what exactly a birthday party was.
It’s crazy, he thinks, that the lives between those of higher class and those in lower class really were so different. Prompto has no doubt that he’ll learn his own royal tricks soon enough.
Well, one thing at a time! He’s gonna go on a morning run, and be by Noctis’s apartment at noon!
————————————————————————
Two days until the special day.
Prompto hums as he picks up the pieces from their board game. He muses over the fact that he could’ve won by just a little margin. Man, if only he didn’t spend all of his ingame money!
There’s a series of tutting noises behind him, so he turns. “You okay, Noct?”
“Yeah, just…” The prince taps something on his phone. “Gladio’s acting so weird.”
“Weird how?”
“He canceled training today.”
“Wait…” Prompto thinks back to it, remembers that Gladiolus said he was going to a bunch of stores this day or tomorrow. “Does that never happen?”
“That never happens, ever. ”
“Maybe he’s um, sick?”
“He’s so freaking healthy, if he got sick I’d think I was dreaming or something.”
The prince bites down on his index finger, his eyebrows drawn, and damn if Prompto wasn’t worried about him finding out he’d find it so cute.
“You know what, it’s whatever. I didn’t feel like swinging a sword around anyway.”
He puts his phone down and grabs a nearby game controller.
“I feel like shooting some beasts.”
Prompto sighs to himself in relief as he reaches for the television remote.
————————————————————————
One day left.
But for a second there, Prompto really thought it was going to become zero, because as he and Noctis get back to the apartment from the arcade, they see Ignis, well, not being so discreet with the amount of fish he was storing into the refrigerator.
The advisor freezes up like he’s turned to stone, the light glinting off his glasses in a way that screams guilty, and the blond starts praying to the Gods, any God.
“What’s all this?” Noctis asks, staring at the assortment of frozen food still on the kitchen island. “Did you go fishing?”
And as the blond looked closely at how some looked home wrapped, he realized that was true.
Ignis flushes, closing the refrigerator door rapidly, too loudly, Prompto winces.
“Oh! Yes, well, I was. I have many meals to prepare.”
“What’s the special occasion?” The prince asks, and Prompto could see him studying the whole room.
Oh no, did Gladiolus leave anything suspicious out-
Nope. Not a trace of Noctis’s favorite shade of blue either. Don’t look too closely!
Prompto feels relief grip him again, until he realizes Ignis hasn’t even responded yet. He looks towards the retainer in panic, and sees the retainer turning a little red.
“Um, well, it’s not much of a major matter.”
“Why’s there so much then?”
“Because…”
The advisor meets Prompto’s eyes, and the blond is crying on the inside. Dude, I can’t help you!
“It’s Fish Day soon!”
Oh, for the love of Ramuh’s ass.
Ignis’s fake smile looked just as pained as Prompto felt.
“It’s what now,” Noctis says dryly.
“Fish Day, when people celebrate nature and the Gods that gave us fish!”
Prompto hopes Ignis doesn’t talk out of his ass often.
“I see.” The prince didn’t sound convinced, but he shrugs, and heads towards his bedroom, but the blond doesn’t miss the way he murmurs, “What about my day?”
Ah, shit.
But it’s too late to call him back, and Prompto watches his form disappear behind the door.
Ignis seems apologetic when the blond looks at him again, scratching at his chin, and Prompto doesn’t blame him at all.
This was just a lot harder than expected.
————————————————————————
Prompto checks his phone, for probably the fifth time in the past ten minutes. Well, there’s not exactly much else he could do except hide behind the door and wait.
There’s a loud thud followed by a pained hiss from behind the couch in the living room, and Prompto remembers that Gladiolus chose that spot as Ignis, from behind the kitchen island, growls out a shush.
“Sorry,” the Shield whispers back, and the blond can’t resist cracking a smile.
It’s crazy that they even became friends.
He really hopes that they can do this again.
Then there’s that telltale beeping sound, and Prompto holds his breath, watches as the door opens to crowd him against the corner, to reveal the person of the day.
Noctis quietly takes off his shoes, hangs his outer jacket, and the blond behind him acts on the chance to move for the light switch.
The apartment entrance is cast in a full glow, the prince turns around, and Prompto is there with a party hat and a grin. “Surprise!”
“Wha-” Noctis starts, his face pulling up in surprise, but the blond is already grabbing him by the hand and dragging him inside to the living room and kitchen, to where Ignis and Gladiolus pop up just as rehearsed, party hats on their heads as well, multicolored noisemakers in their mouths.
“Surprise,” they both yell, then blow hard, and Ignis puffs so hard that the thing actually somehow pokes him in the face. “Ah!”
Gladiolus and Prompto both react to it, the Shield cringing before mouthing if the advisor was okay, and Prompto biting down on his tongue before he sputters.
But Noctis doesn’t move. At first, Prompto thought it was just due to surprise, that the prince was taking everything in.
But then, when Ignis’s and Gladiolus’s expressions turn alarmed, the blond whips around to see the prince covering his eyes with his palm, tears still falling from them anyway, he’s startled.
“Noct- are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m-”
But a sniffle comes out, and Noctis is ducking away, backing up when Prompto tries to touch his shoulder. “I’m okay.”
“Did we do something wrong?” Gladiolus’s voice is surprisingly concerned. “You’re not looking too good.”
He comes forward, as well as Ignis, and along with Prompto they’re stepping in with worry.
The prince thrusts a palm out, and three of them stop, but still watching over him as he wipes his face with his arm.
“It’s not you. I just thought that - you forgot my birthday, actually.”
Prompto meets the other two’s eyes. “There’s no way we’d forget. Really sorry if it seemed that way.”
“No, no, it’s okay.” The prince dropped his hands and his eyes were visibly red, but he was smiling. “I just didn’t know that…”
He spins himself around slowly, Prompto watches his eyes as he takes everything in, the streamers of all different colors, the food and wrapped presents on the tables, the television on with his favorite video game King’s Knight, and his friends in party hats, which he laughs at.
“I just didn’t know that you’d do all of this. For me.”
More tears come out, he brushes them away with the tips of his fingers.
“Gods, I… I mean I’ve always just wanted this. No parades, no public announcements, just me and you guys.”
Prompto’s breath stutters in his throat, he can feel everyone else shift.
“Thank you, guys. Thank you…I, I really mean it.”
Noctis flushes a little, but his smile is genuine, and he opens his arms, and Prompto’s the first one there, followed by Ignis and then by Gladiolus.
They hold each other for a long time, and Prompto couldn’t be happier with his decision to help.